Chapter 39

“Southern Area, Sir Kamil of the Melbourne family has caught an ash-gray wolf!”

A soldier shouted loudly, holding a signboard tied with strings from the forest.

“Oh ho, a wolf has already appeared?”

“Yes, it has!”

After reporting to Marquis Pentium, the soldier ran past the whispering noblewomen.

The signboard was hung on the wooden board displaying the results of each family. Once again, the Melbourne Duke’s household was in the lead this year.

‘This tournament is proving to be quite entertaining.’

Wolf Pentium stroked his beard with a satisfied expression.

For it being only the second day, the results were impressive. Ash-gray wolves traveled in packs, making them difficult to hunt.

Approaching the entrance to the hunting ground, Marquis Pentium let out an exclamation as he saw the ash-gray wolf being carried out.

“Oh my, how splendid.”

“They said it was caught by Young Lord Kamil, correct?”

The participants’ partners also reacted with excitement, their subtle expectations evident. The ash-gray wolf’s glossy fur drew everyone’s attention as it was moved to storage.

Returning to his seat, Marquis Pentium leaned forward. His frozen heart beat with excitement for the first time in a while. It was then that Asis walked toward him. The Marquis stood up and bowed to the Crown Prince.

“You’ve returned.”

“Is the tournament proceeding smoothly?”

“Thanks to your attention, Your Highness, everything is running without issue.”

Asis naturally took the host’s seat and looked around.

Soon, a soldier brought out a cup of warm tea. Marquis Pentium cautiously asked Asis, who was leisurely sipping his tea.

“Your Highness, if I may, may I ask why you chose not to participate in this tournament?”

Though he tried to hide it, his gaze naturally drifted to the scoreboard. Among the wooden boards lined up, one stood out for being particularly empty.

Marquis Pentium nervously observed. Asis clicked his tongue as he glanced at the pitiful score.

“Do you wish to replace the participant even now?”

Unable to bear it, the Marquis made a suggestion, but Asis shook his head.

“Leave it be. There’s still a day and a half left, isn’t there?”

In the end, Marquis Pentium ordered a soldier to check on the Imperial Family’s participants.

‘If, by any chance, His Highness the Crown Prince becomes displeased with the tournament’s results and withdraws his support…’

In this cold, barren land, the only entertainment was the hunting tournament held once every three years. He planned to assess the situation and, if possible, discreetly assist the Crown Prince’s side.

As he waited anxiously, a signboard suddenly flew from afar and struck a tree trunk. Approaching and pulling out the signboard, Marquis Pentium read its inscription. His eyes widened.

“Northwest Area, Sir Phyllis of the Herwin family has captured a white deer!”

His voice trembled with astonishment. Immediately, the surrounding soldiers erupted into murmurs.

“A white deer? Does a white deer still exist in this forest?”

“Did such an animal even exist in the first place?”

Even the participants’ partners began to buzz with excitement. Marquis Pentium regained his composure and sent several soldiers into the hunting ground. The soldier holding the signboard hesitated and asked awkwardly.

“Your Lordship, how should we handle the scoring in this case…?”

There were, of course, no pre-assigned points for a white deer, which was believed to have gone extinct long ago. The Marquis ordered the soldiers to wait. He needed to confirm the deer first.

Moments later, soldiers carefully pulled a cart to the entrance of the hunting ground.

“My goodness…”

Marquis Pentium muttered in shock. The antlers, elegantly extending beyond the cart, moved. The white deer, crouched on the ground, cautiously raised its head. Its lake-like clear eyes blinked deeply.

“Bring me the signboard. I will personally assign the score.”

His solemn voice echoed through the camp. That afternoon on the first day of the tournament, the standings were overturned.

***

“Karina. Hey, Karina.”

A gentle hand shook her shoulder. Karina slowly opened her eyes. It seemed she had dozed off. She yawned softly as Della, putting on her coat, urged her.

“We’re here. Get ready to disembark.”

“…We’ve already arrived?”

“Sleeping all day, of course you wouldn’t notice. Hurry and get dressed.”

Looking outside, the morning light from their departure had turned into evening. Karina donned her coat and stepped out of the carriage.

“Wow, there’s so much snow here. It’s amazing.”

“It’s freezing…”

Unlike the excited Della, Karina didn’t feel well. Having just woken up, her body was more sensitive to the cold. The chilly air seemed to seep into her bones.

Adolf approached and offered her his fur hat. Karina gratefully accepted her cousin’s kindness.

“Let’s go. We should visit the Marquis’s residence first.”

Kate, who had disembarked with Adolf, walked toward the castle gates ahead. Karina, letting the three walk ahead, turned to look back.

Below the winding path they had ascended by carriage, the forest came into view. Though steep, the snow-covered landscape looked soft and inviting.

At that moment, a rough-looking man walking toward them from the opposite direction noticed the group and approached.

“Who are you? I thought visitors were no longer allowed after yesterday.”

Kate stepped aside. Karina walked up to the man and pulled out her invitation from her coat.

“I am Karina of the Edelin Ducal Household. I’m late due to unforeseen circumstances.”

“Ah, I see.”

The man examined the invitation briefly before nodding as if recalling something.

“My apologies for the rudeness. I am Wolf Pentium.”

Realizing he was the lord of the castle, Karina was slightly flustered and bowed her head in return.

Kate and her cousins, who had been waiting, also introduced themselves. Marquis Pentium, despite their status as a minor viscount family from the west, treated them with courtesy and explained the situation.

“His Highness is still at the camp. If you wish to meet him, I can guide you there.”

“Yes, please.”

“Follow me. It’s just across a nearby bridge.”

Following him, they reached a wooden bridge spanning a cliff. Perhaps because of the beautiful forest on the other side, the crossing didn’t feel as frightening as expected.

“It’s a pity you didn’t arrive a day earlier. You could have watched the tournament.”

Only after hearing the Marquis’s words did Karina realize it was the last day of the tournament. She wasn’t too disappointed, as she hadn’t expected much. Watching the tournament wasn’t her main goal, anyway.

Crossing the bridge, the snow-covered forest greeted them warmly.

“We’re almost there. It’s just ahead in that clearing.”

After a short walk, an open area came into view. Karina turned to where the Marquis pointed.

The first thing that caught her eye was a soldier standing on a platform.

“Next, we have the winner of this tournament: Sir Phyllis of the Herwin Earldom Household.”

The soldier’s booming voice echoed through the clearing. A man emerged from the participants and walked toward the platform.

It was Phyllis. Karina froze, unable to step into the clearing, and stared at him. Kate and her cousins, who had also stopped, stood beside her with equally grim expressions.

As the soldier stepped back, Asis leisurely walked over to Phyllis and spoke.

“Congratulations, Young Lord Phyllis.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Asis briefly offered his congratulations before returning to the platform.

Karina, still frozen, was pulled toward the participants’ tents by Della.

“Now, announce the name of the partner to whom the white deer will be dedicated.”

As Asis’s final words ended, all eyes turned to Phyllis. He bowed his head once more before turning around. His indifferent gaze swept past the expectant women. Soon, his eyes wavered.

Standing in a corner, Karina hurriedly avoided his gaze. It was a meaningless gesture. Even for a brief moment, their eyes had unmistakably met.

“I…”

Phyllis hesitated, his voice trailing off.

As everyone held their breath in anticipation, a loud thud echoed from somewhere.

“Did you hear that? What was that noise?”

“Did something collapse?”

As people began murmuring, Marquis Pentium ordered the soldiers to investigate. A few soldiers ran toward the entrance of the hunting ground, naturally drawing everyone’s attention.

But the source of the sound appeared from an unexpected direction.

“Finally out. Almost spent the night in the forest…”

Kaya emerged from the forest, not a path, and tilted her head at the gathered crowd.

“What’s this? Don’t tell me the tournament’s over?”

Her voice, loud for a mutter, drew the attention of the soldiers near the entrance.

Ignoring them, Kaya stepped into the camp. Behind her, Noah appeared. His disheveled appearance suggested he had rolled on the ground, yet he blinked blankly as he walked forward.

At the same time, the crowd’s confusion turned to shock.

“A g-gray bear…”

Noah was holding a rope tied to an enormous bear, bound and being dragged behind him. In the bear’s front paw, a small rabbit squirmed.

‘What’s with the rabbit? No, did they catch the bear together?’

As Karina pondered, Asis whispered something to Marquis Pentium. Startled, the Marquis quickly approached Noah and Kaya, removed the rabbit from the bear’s paw, and released it into the forest. Clearing his throat, he announced.

“There are participants who have just returned from the hunting ground, so we will recalculate the results later. We ask for your understanding.”

Recalling the rabbit running into the forest, Karina blinked at the next announcement.

“And Sir Noah, please announce the name of the partner to whom you will dedicate your bear.”

The man at the center of attention met her gaze with his usual bright expression. Breaking the brief silence, Noah spoke.

“I will dedicate my catch to Lady Karina of the Edelin Ducal Household.”